Saling the Legend

[Atom Ant 0]

Good story M, sounds nice.

[Megwyn 2]

Sailing day 12 (Yes - I have missed a few days - gets a bit same ol' after a while )

 

We went out for a drift today. There was supposed to be 15kt from the SE, but we didn't see it. Great opportunity to play with the screecher. Hoisting and dropping, pulling it out, bringing it in, furling and tacking.

 

As we went past the harbour entrance, we looked out over the bar - with a 2m swell forecast and SE winds, we had not contemplated crossing it. Well - one look out there and you would be a bit silly to take it on. Even from 2nm away, we could see the big rollers coming in, with a line of breaking waves all the way across the entrance - not a gap to be seen.

 

However, in the harbour, the water was flat, not even a ripple of wind on the water, so, which ever direction we were going, it was always into the wind.

 

As you have probably guessed, we had to resort to the auxillary (iron) sail to get us up the harbour and back. Then, when we were just 2-3nm from home, the wind kicked in - well, about 10kt of breeze. So the iron sail was turned off, and we did some nice close-hauled sailing with main, jib and screecher, topping out at 8.0kt before dropping the sails and motoring back to our mooring.

 

Home again with that feeling of "a good day out", nothing broken, nothing lost, and a pleasant feeling of tiredness.

 

No sailing tomorrow - we are planning to drive up to see the VOR boats arrive in Auckland.

Might see some of you there.

M

[johnMi 2]

Stop it Megwynn, I can't stand it anymore.

I haven't been vout on my boat since December.

[Guest]

I haven't been vout on my boat since December.

 

How many more weeks will you be laid up now John?

[johnMi 2]

8 weeks in plaster, then a moon boot, then physio, oh, I dunno, say another 4 months?

[rigger 47]

bugger

[Megwyn 2]

8 weeks in plaster, then a moon boot, then physio, oh, I dunno, say another 4 months?

 

What did you do John - snap an Achilles?

[johnMi 2]

Megwynn, yes you can read how I did it by going to 'BMW Regatta, whose in?

[Megwyn 2]

Day 13

 

On the way down to the boat on Saturday, we went up to the Bowentown heads to have a look at the bar. We were wanting to cross the bar and head down the outside of Matakana Island to Tauranga. Himself has not done that trip yet, and was really looking forward to it.

 

Looking down from the top of the hill, the waves did not look too bad, but the bar had a line of breaking waves all the way across. We watched a fizz boat head out past the heads, and as he reached the inner marker buoy, he turned and came back in. Watching him, we could see how he was crashing over the crests of the swells.

 

We decided we would probably take the inner harbour route to Tauranga, but to make the final decision once we were under way.

 

A short time later, we were slipping the mooring and on our way. Jib up, then main, and out the channel to peek at the bar. The swell coming in through the heads was pretty decent, and a look at the bar confirmed that we needed to stay inside, so we flew down the inside of Matakana Island, towards the gap.

 

We followed the markers and when the depth sounder said we had 0.9m of water, we dropped the sails, and then lifted the rudder - just after it found the bottom. Another mile or so on, the Offender stops and starts to swing around into the wind.

 

Bugger. Stuck on the hard, awaiting tidal pleasure, Himself went forward and threw out the anchor. I stopped the outboard and lifted it out of the water, and just as I was climbing back up into the cockpit, just underneath the starboard stern, I saw a stingray. Then over it swam a kingi. Just behind that was another kingi. Within one meter of the boat adn in only 0.5m of water! Awesome! I then went below, boiled the billy and made some lunch.

 

The young fella and I then played a dice game, while Himself did a little maintenance, then we upped anchor and meandered our way down through the rest of the gap towards Omokoroa without further mishap.

 

Rudder in, sails up, and we were on our way again. We sailed on down the harbour towards the Tga Boat Club amongst some of the Tauranga boats. We pulled some quick tacks, trying to find the channel down to the Club. The chart plotter thought we were in Angola, so that was about as useful as tits on a bull. Damn thing. Turned it off and swore at Himself, saying I need a REAL chart!

 

Safely picked up the mooring under the bridge and walked into town for Fish and Chips with our sailing buddies. Then back to the Offender for drinkies before retiring to bed for some shut eye.

 

Small handheld GPS on only while sailing - 12.9nm, max speed of 14.9kt.

Amazing day.

[Megwyn 2]

A few pics from Saturday:

 

We sailed with Wizard for a while:

 

 

Picked up our mooring, and this showed up:

 

 

Off over the bridge for Fish and Chips. Looking down over the basin at RO and the Bridge Marina behind.

 

Pussy Cat in the foreground:

 

 

That's it for Sat.

Sunday coming soon

[Megwyn 2]

Day 14.

 

We awoke at dawn, to a grey and cloudy day. We burnt up some breakfast and decided to take a walk up to Burnsco, Super Cheap and Gull for some supplies. We needed to ensure we had enough fuel to get back through the gap. The forecast was for the wind to back around to the NE, and be up to 40kts for us to go home. On the nose going through the gap with no rudder to help us maintain course, we might need extra fuel to grunt against the wind.

 

So sometime later, we return to the Offender and top up the gas tank before heading up to Pilot Bay for lunch. A short walk on the beach and some lunch later, then a re-listen to the forecast, and it wasn't looking good.

 

Himself and I had a chat about the wisdom of trying for home, or the possibility of leaving RO in Tauranga for the week. With the forecast for Monday being up to 50kts, gusting higher, we were keen to have her on her own mooring with her bridle, which we know can hold her in a blow. We made the decision to try to make it home, knowing that we could always turn and run back to Tauranga if we needed to.

 

We were supposed to be starting with the Tga boys, but by the time we got up to the club they were on their way. So we headed slowly off towards Omokoroa hoping to catch a sight of them as they came through.

 

As we saw the first two cats bearing down on us, we turned into the wind, attempting a hove to. RO does not hove too very well, but has a tendancy to pop into irons if I helm her too close to the wind, or if the wind backs on me when drifting. If the breeze is very light and fickle, I need to start up the iron sail to bring her around. But if I have a bit of breeze, I can back the main and bring her back onto a beat.

 

In this case, we had a good breeze, so I knew I could point us up into the wind for a couple of minutes before she just had to turn around and sail again. So we waited there, with room for drift, until she swung around and started sailing back towards them. We passed behind them and tacked about for the chase.

 

 

Those tornados are so much faster than us with their screecher up, when we are under main and blade. Now, I am not saying that we would be faster with our screecher up – we haven't tried it!

 

Anyway. The tornadoes were flying a hull. It looked like they were having a whole lot of fun. Meantime, I am navigating the channel – checking our new chart, keeping off the sandbanks. When we are clipping along at around 10kts, things come up very fast.

 

 

We came around the SW end of Motuhoa Island, and were on the nose up the mooring filled channel to Omokoroa. The wind was gusty, and I was working the gusts, and trying to remain in the channel. Watching the depth sounder every few seconds, watching the channel markers, keeping out of the way of racing yachts, and avoiding moored vessels. My nerves were on edge having such a small margin of error. But the team were working well. We tacked across the channel. A short tack as I was into 2m of water within seconds. Then back into the channel, but it was a few seconds again before I was in the channel. Depth sounder read 1.2m, then we were back into 2m again. Whew!

 

But then the wind knocked, and I could not go down, but there was no room to tack again, so Himself leaped over the back and motor started to get us through the tight spot. Slick work from the crew saw us out of potential collision vs grounding, and back into water we could sail in. So under sail again and motor off, we headed up through the channel, past the boat club, and North towards home. We decided to tack around and head back towards Tauranga, as we had some time before high tide, and try and get some more pics. The young fella was on the camera. (All these pics for Sunday are his.)

 

 

 

 

We sailed down to the starboard marker waving goodbye to Coldplay, then tacked around and headed back towards home, firing off a few shots on the way past the keelers.

 

 

 

Then up to the gap. Having a paper chart made things so much easier. I was able to check the chart, get my bearings, and sight the next marker without any mishaps. Once the chart showed we were about to get into shallows again, we prepared to drop the sails so we could pull up the rudder. It all happened without mishap. At 0.9m we lifted the rudder and were under motor only. Himself gave me a break from the helm. For what felt like an hour but may have been shorter, we motored through the shallows, following the markers mostly, deviating only when we could see from the chart that we could get through. Once the depth sounder reaches 0.5m, it does not go any lower, so we know we may hit bottom once it is that shallow, but we may still be able to continue. I went out on the windward ama forward of the foil to try to give a little more room beneath us. The young fella and I watched several sting ray rush out of our way, and finally we were through and able to put the rudder back down.

 

A quick discussion later, and we decided to put up the jib with the reef in it, and see how we went. The wind was strong, and on the nose. We left the motor running and motor-sailed under jib only all the way home, navigating the last of the narrow channel and into the wider harbour.

 

We eased up the last channel to the mooring, rudder still down as we were drawing 1.4m. I tried to put us on the mooring, and the wind blew us off. So reversed around, pointed back up towards it with the young fella monitoring my depth, and put us back onto the mooring, backing up as Himself picked it up.

 

Just after we were safely moored, the wind died.

 

Trip odometer reads 21.5nm for the day, and a max speed of 13.4kt - most likely done while playing with Coldplay.

 

A testing weekend. Again, we pushed ourselves and learnt heaps. But have returned home with nothing broken. Another successful weekend away.

 

Got home to find that my DC had brought my SOL boat home in my absence. It is nice when things go well.

 

Till next time.

M

[Battgirl 23]

Thanks Megwyn that's great reading.

[Guest]

Don't you love not getting worried until you see water less than a meter deep?? Beats the hell out of needing 6 feet under the boat

[ballystick 72]

We were on Jade Lady - bottom keeler picture - it was a nice sail especially when the rain stayed away and the wind didn't get up too much. I was wondering how your trip through would go and sounds like it was a success. Soon you will be an expert in that passage and will be able to come through to Tga more often, let me or Lance (Coldplay) know if you're keen. It's great to see beast of a tri such as yours sailing around the harbour!

[Megwyn 2]

Thanks Batgirl, I do enjoy reporting on our excursions.

 

Thanks Ballystick. I hope we can get down more often. It is a bit of a mission, but if we can time it right we should be okay . It would be great to get down just to report on more of your Tga races. Missed out on getting a fantastic pic of General Jackson - she was on a real lean. Maybe next time.

BTW - If you ever see a pic you want, ask me, I am happy to email original copies through. The water proof camera does not take fantastic pics, but my SLR takes better ones.

 

Don't you love not getting worried until you see water less than a meter deep?? Beats the hell out of needing 6 feet under the boat

 

Exactly! Gone are the days that we needed to watch our depth because we had 1.8m of centreboard and a 400kg bulb beneath us! Multihull sailing is just the best.

 

Being able to sail onto the beach and throw out the anchor for a stroll is awesome. We really missed that freedom sailing the Elliott.

 

Just been out to check up on our Lady and put an extra securing line on her. Just in time. The wind is rising again. . .

[Guest]

Not a good day for team coldplay ,broke main tiller bar , daughter locked keys in the car, lost rudder clip that keeps rudder down, daughter cry the whole way around track,and wifey had a blast !!!!!!!!

[johnMi 2]

Another good report Megwyn, keep it up

[Megwyn 2]

Day 15

 

Wow – what a day.

 

It was a bit of a rush. If we wanted to get out over the bar, it needed to be done one hour after high tide at the latest. It takes about that long for the water to actually start to flow out through the entrance, and once it gets moving, the waves can start to stand up.

 

The forecast was for 10-15kts from the NE to the N, with a 1m NE swell, spacing of 7 (it seems to usually be 3-5). It looked like it would be a perfect day to sail out there, and I was keen to be able to stretch our legs with sea room.

 

We managed to get out of the house about ½ an hour after high tide. Himself's father (the FIL) was with us. A quick trip down to the boat, and we slipped the mooring in record time and headed off down the channel, hoisting the sails on the way.

 

“Bugger” I said. “I have left the GPS at home”. We discussed it, and decided to continue. I have the marker positions for safe bar transit saved on my GPS, so it meant we would have to take extra care navigating the bar. With 1nm between markers, you often cannot see the second marker from the first.

 

I called into Coastguard Radio to let them know we were crossing the bar, and that we planned to be back about midtide on the rise.

 

We peeked our nose around the point and looked out at the bar. We could see the bars, breaking water all over them. There looked to be a flat spot in the middle. The passage past Mussel Rock looked calm.

 

“Do you want to try Mussel Rock this time” I asked Himself. “We'll take a look at it when we are closer aye” he replied.

 

So we motor sailed out towards the first marker. Looking over at the Mussel Rock passage, it looked clear. We were just one hour post high tide, so I knew there would be reasonable depth of water through the passage. We sent the young fella down below to turn on the depth sounder, and I headed us around to pass through the Mussel Rock passage.

 

I called Himself back from the bow while we navigated through. It was our first time to take this route, and we were unsure of what we would find. The depth sounder dropped as low as 2m, but with the centreboard up, we still had plenty of water beneath us. The waves were about 1m high, but not cresting, although a few were standing up, and I wove our way through them. We managed to get through and out without crashing, banging, hitting solid stuff, or having a wave break over us.

 

I called into Coastguard to let them know we were into “less lumpy stuff”. They replied. “Out of interest, were you under sail or under motor as you came through?” I responded. “Always under motor”. His response? “I was just wondering, because you looked pretty impressive coming out.” (The Radio Operators room in the Coastguard building overlooks Mussel Rock passage, and you can see the bar from there as well.)

 

So we were off. Once the sails were set, I handed over the helm to the FIL. We spent a lovely 6 ½ hours sailing, heading out towards the Mayor, then, as the wind cycled North, we did too. We put up the screecher, which headed us off the wind some, and we were close reaching North. Then we tacked around and screeched SE for about 8nm before dropping the screecher and tacking around, heading NE. We sailed to within a couple of nm from the Mayor, and were starting to get a bit of precipitation, so decided to tack around and try to stay away from it.

 

In order to do this, we pointed back towards the mainland. Bowentown Heads looked like a couple of wee titties on the horizon, and I directed the FIL in that direction. It was only 2pm. Sailing down towards the beach, I was sure that I saw a blow. We kept our eyes peeled, watching for it again, slowing the boat by coming off the wind a little. I saw a dark back rise out of the water about 400m to our west a few minutes later. We saw no more. Then about 10 minutes later, there was a small pod of dolphins breaking past us. They unfortunately did not turn and ride with us, even though we tried to tempt them by upping our pace.

 

So we sailed some more, up and down, sailing right up to a container ship waiting outside Tauranga Harbour, then headed back to the Bowentown Bar. It was after 3pm.

 

It was then that I needed to drop the leeward foil. We were on a reach, and the Offender was humming, so down went the foil as a preventative measure. The FIL had a huge smile on his face.

 

 

We did a fly by past the bar. It looked a bit borderline, and I wanted to wait a bit longer. It was just past low tide. So we headed out again for another buzz around. The wind was getting up, and we listened to the now casting which was giving higher readings than for which the forecast was. Slipper and the Mercs were over 20kt. Himself was worried it was setting in, and was concerned that the bar might become impassable, so we headed back around to the outer marker. Washboards in, and we headed in to cross the bar. There was breaking water to the left and to the right, but there was a small passage of non breaking water just to the port of where the main channel used to be. Himself stood forward, directing me as I pointed us to the gap, rather than the inner marker, and we passed through the bar without mishap.

 

It was a perfect day for a sail. The sun put in a bit of an appearance at the end. The swell was around a meter with the odd rogue coming through at closer to 1.5m, but the distance between the waves was long, making for a beautiful easy rocking motion on the boat. Himself got in a sleep, and I threw the lure overboard in hope of catching something. No luck there I'm afraid - steak for dinner rather than fish.

 

Awesome sail. Guesstimate of 40-50nm sailed, and a top speed of between 10-14kt, we were often doing around 8kt. I must remember my GPS next time!!

 

M

[Guest]

[Megwyn 2]

Day 16

 

I got home from work a whisker before 4am on Saturday morning. A quick shower and some muscle relaxant later, I was horizontal with a book in my hands to help me get to sleep. I had given Himself instructions to wake me at 10am, with breakfast, so I knew I could just slumber away until I was woken.

 

However – best laid plans and all. The sky had a light covering of grey stuff on it, so the sun did not interfere with my slumber until it came around into the northern 'picture' window. I peeked open my eyes to monitor the 'sun' time, and figured it was not long before 10am. So I rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. But the damage was done. So I rose to find Himself cooking some breakfast for us all.

 

After a hearty breakfast of poached eggs with fried bacon and tomato accompanied by a strong sludge coffee to help me wake up (I know, downers to sleep, uppers to wake ), we headed off to the boat. I was squinting through half open eyes, but felt okay.

 

The tide was on its way in – just over half way. We picked up one of the young fella's friends on the way, and invited his Dad to join us – but he figured that he had an unwasteable opportunity to get some work done while his young man was otherwise occupied.

 

D, the guy who owns the Catamaran (Lynx) moored next to us came by with his dingy in the back of his ute as we were getting the dingy out of ours, waved, and turned around and left. We figured we had scared him off!

 

So into the dingy – 4POB, and off to the superyacht.

 

The boys played about with the dingy while we prepared for a couple of hours sailing. Lynx's crew turned up – motoring up from the boat ramp, and they also prepared for a sail.

 

Now, we have been trying to synchronise sailing time with D for the last 2 months, but have never had a chance to challenge him on the water. It was looking like we were in with a chance to pit our skills (and yacht) against another multi, in good, moderate sailing conditions.

 

The mood on RO became anticipatory as we continued to get the wee things done to get going. Meantime, D was seen instructing his crew on the bow, and then he was off – blasting down the channel under motor. We watched him hoist his sails as we slipped the mooring – after reeling in the young fellas.

 

And we were off. Down the channel, and hoisting sails. The race was on to catch up with Lynx. We sailed down past the pipi bed, putting a reef in the main as the wind was a bit gusty. Call me a woos – but until I get to know my new hand-stand prone yacht, when she starts to lean – I call to reduce sail.

 

So we tacked around under one reef in the main, but full blade jib (this has become our almost always only used headsail), and headed back up towards Anzac Bay where Lynx was. He turned and came back towards us, so as he passed, we gibed around and came up behind him.

 

The chase was on. We noted he was trailing a lure, so had to give him room. Although we figured it would be worth extra points to pick up his lure with a fish on it.

 

On the nose. Lynx with full main and jib, us still with a reef in the main. The wind had lightened, but we left the reef in. (Hey – I was knackered from my first night shift, doing a new job I have never done before, and I needed to go easy on myself. Besides – we were there to have fun, not beat ourselves up! I know – she doth protesteth too loudly. )

 

Slowly, slowly, we reeled him in. (No we did not catch his fishing line!).

 

Overtaking him on the port side, stealing his wind like a true wind bludger should.

 

 

We nudged ahead on a gust when RO picked it up and gaily sailed away. We watched him tack around behind us once we were about 200m ahead of him, so we gibed and followed. He was pointing high, so we followed suit, chasing him down. He eased off the wind, so we followed suit, still gaining on him. At this stage, he left the helm and started messing about with his sails – he had turned on the autopilot. We had him.

 

Easing up abeam of him, we chatted amiably as we tried to overtake.

 

 

Himself was at the helm, and D was pushing us down towards the pipi bed, reducing our sea room.

 

 

I said to Himself, “Drop back, and pass behind him, then we can roll over him”.

 

So we imperceptibly spilled a little wind dropping behind Lynx. The lure had been reeled in, so we could pass just behind him. Then we proceeded to steal his wind again, and rolled over him, beating him to the turning point off Anzac Bay by 300m odd.

 

 

We tacked, and headed down for another attack. But he had had enough and was heading back down towards the Tanners channel and dropping sails.

 

We checked our time. We had been out longer than intended. So we tacked around and headed back under the pipi bed towards our mooring, dropping the sails on the way.

 

The young fellas meantime had been below, eating everything on the boat. My stash of snacks had been depleted to zero, and I was very hungry. Mix hungry and tired, and I can get a bit um – agitated. (Himself would probably liken it to a rabid dog.)

 

We picked up the mooring with some slick bow work from Himself, and no sooner was the iron sail turned off that the young fellas were out over the back and zipping around in the dingy again.

 

They disappeared off to see what D was up to with the Lynx up at the boat ramp. There was someone up the mast. They came back when we were nearly finished packing up, and we told the young fella to come back in a few minutes and pick us up. He was gone over 30 minutes. We yelled, we whistled (wish we had you there Ogre with your LOUD whistle!), we got out the horn and tried to get his attention. We waved our arms. Nothing. We considered getting out the orange flare – but figured as I was not technically starving to death, and it was not technically an emergency, even though it felt like it, we better not. Finally Himself stripped off and dived in to go and fetch the dingy himself, as I was ready to start gnawing on the boat.

 

Just as Himself reached land, the young fella must have had an moment, because I saw him jump in the dingy and head over to me and the boat. Argh – I was ready for a lynching!

 

I contained myself rather well until I was in the dingy, when I allowed myself to tell him what an inconsiderate wee shite he was for leaving us for half an hour waiting on his pleasure to return to pick us up. (Very contained, I thought.)

 

We rushed home, although I would have preferred to stop and chat to D and the young fellas friends Dad, but needed to check to see if I was working that night.

 

With relief I got home, checked in to work to find there was no work Saturday night, had some food (at last), and poured myself a glass of rum to console myself . Then we went back down to the boat club in the hopes of catching up with D, and have a yarn (skite) about our day on the water.

 

Awesome sailing. It was great to pit ourselves against Lynx and D – they have been a team for about 8 years, and D usually sails her single handed with his autopilot. It was even better to be outpointing him, and be able to roll him. We smoked that Cat! He now wants to buy bigger sails.

 

Well, with me working night shift now for the next couple of months, and the weather slowly packing it in (man it is rough out there this morning, waves breaking way out) as Autumn sets in, our sailing days will be fewer . Add to that the tiredness factor of broken sleeps from having to earn some money (oh poor me ) my story posts may become fewer. Which I am sure will please Pedro and his mates no end.

 

Ciao

M

 

ps - All pics taken on my Fuji 9500 by my 10yr old son. He also took some video, quite hilarious young fella malarchy. If there are requests, I will be happy to post it.